XX--ray spectroscopy of solar system objectsray spectroscopy of solar system objects
G. Branduardi-RaymontMullard Space Science Laboratory
University College London
“X-ray Grating Spectroscopy” workshopCambridge, Mass., 11 – 13 July 2007
X-ray studies of the solar system
• Reached maturity thanks to Chandra and XMM-Newton
(medium and high resolution spectroscopy)
• Processes involve highly energetic plasmas, particle acceleration, powerful magnetic fields, fast rotating bodies, reprocessing of solar radiation
• ‘Next door’ examples of widespread astrophysical phenomena
X-ray production in the solar system
• Charge exchange (CX) process
Highly ionised heavy ions collide with neutrals/molecules
� excited following electron capture (‘charge exchange’) � de-excitation produces X-ray line emission, e.g.
H2 + O7+ ���� H2+ + O6+ + hνννν
Low energy solar wind heavy ions (C, O, Ne - SWCX) :
Comets, heliosphere, Earth geocorona, Mars haloVery energetic ambient heavy ions (low-charge ions accelerated,highly charged by stripping, CX): Jupiter aurorae
• Electron bremsstrahlung
• Elastic and K-shell fluorescent scattering of solar X-rays in planetary atmospheres and on surfaces
(Bhardwaj et al. 2007)
X-rays from the solar system
Object Auroral Disk Other
Venus No Yes*Earth Yes++ Yes* Geocorona+
Moon Yes*Mars No Yes* Exosphere+
Jupiter Yes^,++ Yes* Io, Europa particle impactsIo Plasma Torus ++, OVII Heαααα?
Saturn No Yes* Rings*Comets +
Asteroids *Heliosphere +
+ SWCX ^ CX ++ Electron bremsstrahlung* Elastic and/or K-shell fluorescent scattering of solar X-rays
First detection with the Einstein Observatory (Metzger et al. 1983)
Earth analogy � e- bremsstrahlung of auroral origin expected
Alternative: K-shell line emission from CX of energetic S and O ions, precipitating along magnetic field lines
ROSAT spectrum consistent with recombination line emission (Waite et al. 1994)
Ions thought to originate in inner magnetosphere (8 – 12RJ)Dec. 2000 Chandra observations point to origin at > 30 RJ
(Gladstone et al. 2002)
� What are the ion species (C or S)
and thus their origin (SW or magnetosphere)?
X-rays from Jupiter
Chandra HRC-I polar projections
Gladstone et al. 2002
Jupiter
XMM-Newton – Nov. 2003: EPIC
FeXVII (0.70–0.75, 0.80–0.85) MgXI (1.30–1.40 keV)
OVII (0.55–0.60 keV) OVIII (0.63–0.68 keV)
Jupiter
0.2– 1 keV 1 – 3 keV
3 – 5 keV 5 – 10 keV
XMM-Newton – Nov. 2003: EPICJupiter
North
South
Disk
Jupiter’s auroral and disk spectra
XMM-Newton – Nov. 2003: EPIC
Disk emission well fitted with one ‘mekal’ model (kT = 0.42 +/- 0.02 keV) with solar abundances + line contribution by
MgXI and SiXIII (solar activity)� Consistent with elastic scattering and carbon K-shell
fluorescence of solar X-rays
Disk
MgXI
OVII
OVIIIFeXVII
SiXIII
Branduardi-Raymont et al. 2007a
XMM-Newton – Nov. 2003: EPICJupiter
+ NeX
April
0726
0727
XMM-Newton – Apr. & Nov. 2003: EPIC
Jupiter’s North aurora spectra
Auroral soft X-ray lines (C/S?,
OVII, OVIII) � CX (ion origin?)
Shape of high energy component varies between
rev. 0726 and 0727…
South auroraRev. 0726
High energy spectral slope
best fitted by Γ ~ 0.2power law
OVII
OVII
Branduardi-Raymont et al. 2007b
XMM-Newton – Nov. 2003: EPIC
North auroraRev. 0726
Singhal et al. (1992) predicted
bremss. flux of precipitating
electrons with characteristic energies of 10, 30, 100 keV
(black)
Predicted e- bremss. in Jupiter’s
aurorae revealed by XMM-Newtonand
shown to be variable in fluxand spectral shape (solar activity)
0726
0727
North
South
XMM-Newton – Nov. 2003: EPIC
Jupiter
FeXVII
OVIII
OVII
RGS clearly resolves auroral CX emission lines
from disk contribution
XMM-Newton – Nov. 2003: RGS
Jupiter RGS
Jupiter RGS
Jupiter RGS
XMM-Newton RGS results
• FWHM of broad OVII and OVIII lines imply velocities
of +/- 5000 km s-1 � energies of ~ 2.5 MeV for O ions
� consistent with energies required by models (Cravens et al., 2003; Bunce et al. 2004):
1 MeV/amu for magnetospheric ions
100 keV/amu for solar wind
• Broad OVIII shifted to the red by ~4500 km s-1
• Wavelength of broad OVII emission consistent with that
of the triplet intercombination line
Jupiter
On Saturn …
• Disk and polar cap X-ray emissions have similar
coronal-type spectra (unlike Jupiter)
• Flux variability suggests X-ray emission is controlled by the Sun
Chandra ACIS
Bhardwaj et al. 2005a
• 0.53 keV O-Kαααα fluorescent line (~1/3 of disk emission)
• Scattering of solar X-rays on atomic oxygen in H2O icy ring material (tenuous atmosphere by solar photo-production)
Bhardwaj et al. 2005b
Chandra ACIS
Saturn’s rings
• Fluorescent scattering of solar X-rays in CO2 atmosphere
• Solar wind charge exchange (SWCX) in the exosphere
Dennerl et al. 2006
and see poster!XMM-Newton RGS
Mars disk and exosphere (halo)
• Fluorescent scattering of solar X-rays in upper atmosphere
• O-Kα, C-Kα (and N-Kα ?) detected; also CO/CO2 signature
Dennerl et al. 2002
X-rays from Venus
Chandra ACIS/LETGS
• Since 1960s hard X-ray observations from balloons (> 20 keV)
• PIXIE experiment on Polar : > 3 keV electron bremsstrahlung
Ostgaard et al. 2001
Earth’s aurorae: high X-ray energies
Earth’s aurorae: low X-ray energies
• Evidence for auroral electron bremsstrahlung and N and O
line emission below 2 keV from Chandra HRC imaging andsimultaneous DMSP F13 electron measurements
• Aurora very variable, with intense arcs and
patches (Bhardwaj et al. 2006)
• Not yet shown conclusively that
ion precipitation has a part in
X-ray production� needs high res. spectrum!
• Time variable oxygen emission lines
• Correlation with solar wind flux � SWCX in Earth’s geocorona
Wargelin et al. 2004
Chandra ACIS
Dark side of the Moon
• SWCX with coma neutrals well established emission process
• Cometary spectra reflect state of SW
• Best fit model:
8 emission lines
from
C+5, C+6, N+6,
O+7, O+8, Ne+9
Lisse et al. 2005
McNaught-Hartley
2P/Encke 2003
LINEAR
Chandra ACIS
Cometary X-rays
Dennerl et al., in prep.
• Suzaku observations of the NEP � Increase in soft X-ray lines correlated with solar wind proton flux
• SWCX with neutrals in the Earth’s magnetosheath � Half ormore of oxygen emission comes from Earth’s neighbourood
• SWCX ubiquitous throughout the Universe: solar system, interstellar clouds, galactic winds and galaxy clusters
Suzaku
SWCX and the soft X-ray background
Fujimoto et al. 2007
Thank you!
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